Improvement in fire-escapes



2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I J. W. TUTBWILER.

Fire-Escape.

No. 196,607 Patented Oct. 30, 1877.

PATENT Prion.

w, frurnwrhnn; oFfrNnIANAPoLIs, INDIANA.

4iMPROVENfl-:NT I'N'FI'RE-ESCAPES.-

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 196,607, dated October30,1877; application filed July 27,1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J onN W. TUTEWILER, ofIndianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, haveinventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes 5 and 'theJemployment of doublev lazy-tongs, with appropriate devices foroperating` the'same, when constructed and arrangedas hereinafter morefully described and claimed.

Figure 1 is a view of my improved re-escape with the ladder folded orclosed, so thatit can ,be readily moved from place to place; and

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same with the ladder or 'lazy-tongspartly extended.

A represents the truck or carriage upon which the working parts of there-escape are mounted. B is 'an adjustable inclined plane or platform,hinged in a suitable manner to the forward cross-beam of the truck, andresting, l

when lowered, upon the posts or standards b b at the rear end of thetruck. An adjustable support, B', is attached to the lower surface ofthe platform, and is arranged so that its .free end will rest in theteeth of the rack G, being operated by means of the cranked rod c andrope or chain d, for supporting the platform at any desired angle.

The fire-escape ladder rests on the platform B, to which it is securelyattached, and con-4 sists of a'double lazy-tongs, composedof the bars DD, which cross eachother, and are pivoted together, formingv atruss-work capable of being folded or extended, as may be desired. Thesevarious bars, on each side, are also pivoted to the corresponding barson the oppositevside by means of rods .a a, which pass horizontallyacross from side to side, and form thel rounds ofthe ladder when it isextended.

rEhe bars D D may be made of any light and durable material, and whenfolded are arranged in a nearly vertical position Within the guides h hon the platform B, as shown in Fig. 1. They are secured to the platformby means of the clamps f j', to which are pivoted the lower ends of thesecond and third bars on each side. Y

Atraveling cross-brace, F, connects the lower ends of the iirst bars,and is provided with a nut, through which passes the screw E. This screwrests in bearings e c at each end, and is connectedwith suitablecoggedgearing G and attached cranks H H, by means of which the screw isoperated, and the ladder rapidly extended or folded, as desired.

A cranked shaft, I, extends from the upper end of the second bar D lonone side to the corresponding point on the opposite bar, and isAprovided with spools z' i, around which is wound a rope, k, whichpasses over pulleys on the standards M, and extends to the extreme endof the lazy-tongs on each side. While the tongs are being extended thisrope pays out, and theiire-escape having been elevated to the 4desiredheight, the rope is held taut by the pawl and ratchet m, thus steadyingthe ladder and preventing it from sagging.

By turning the cranks H- H in the opposite direction the ladder isfolded, and the rope k may be again wound on the spools it' bymeans ofthe cranked shaft I, on which they are placed.

The re-escape-ladder constructed as above Adescribed may be readilytransported, and can port B', rack C, rope d, and cranked rod c, in

combination with the {ire-escape ladder or lazytongs D 1 1 screw E,cog'ged gearing G, and cranks H H7, al1 arranged and operatingsubstantially as shown and described. A

3. The double lazy-tongs D D, constructed as shown and described, havingthe standards M M, cranked shaft I, and spools ii arranged thereon, incombination with the rope k and pawl and ratchet m,substantia11y assp'eced g In tesstimongT whereof I have here unto afixed signature this19th day. of Ju1y,1877,1n presence of two witnesses.

JOH w. TUTEWILER.

Witnesses:

FERDINAND SCHMIDT, CHARLES P. WEBSTER.

